


12 years of Christmas

by serendipitous_rambles



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Growing Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-16 18:41:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 6,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13059858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serendipitous_rambles/pseuds/serendipitous_rambles
Summary: 12 Christmases of Mike and Eleven, some more pleasant than others.





	1. 1983

**1983**

 

He promised. He promised her the Snowball and he couldn't give it to her. 45 days he'd called her, 45 days he'd received nothing. But he couldn't give up, he  _ wouldn't _ give up. 

 

After his Christmas dinner, Mike returned to the basement alone. He climbed into the fort he still couldn't bring to take down. 

 

“El?” He called into the silence of his walkie talkie. “It's me. It's day 45. It's Christmas and uh...I miss you.” Nothing. “I guess I got some cool stuff like some new Star Wars figures and I got this awful scratchy jumper from my aunt.” He tugged at the collar and laughed. “You know, the more I look at it the more I like it.” 

Mike's voice quietened to a whisper. “Please, just give me a sign. You know I won't say anything.  I just need to hear your voice.”

He listened but couldn't hear anything. “Merry Christmas, El.” Mike sighed and pushed down the antenna, wiping a tear from his eyes.

 

“Merry Christmas, Mike.” El whispered and removed the blindfold. She'd only been in this strange cabin with Hopper for a few days, but she'd quickly figured out the TV could be used to see Mike. She just hoped next year, she could spend this “Christmas” with him. Whatever it meant. Hopper promised soon she'd see Mike, and she really did hope it was soon.


	2. 1984

**1984**

 

 

Mike sprinted frantically around his house, rummaging under all the cushions, newspapers and even behind his dad's chair. Ted didn't even wake up from his nap.

“Where is it?” Mike repeated to himself. “Where is it, where is it?”

“Mike?” Karen looked at her son in confusion.

He stopped and froze. “I'm uh... looking for…” he couldn't tell his mother he was really looking for El's Christmas gift. His mother still didn't know about El so Mike had lied and said he was going to the Byers’ for a Christmas party - but he was really going to see El at the cabin. 

“Will’s gift.”

He suddenly remembered he'd left the small package in the fort, somewhere his mother wouldn't go rummaging through. He bolted down the stairs, ignoring the calls of “Michael?” 

Nancy had offered to drive Mike to the cabin under the disguise of she was already planning on seeing Jonathan and the Byers’ house wasn't too far from Hopper’s cabin.

“Yeah, yeah, you love me really Nancy.” Mike laughed. 

“Ew, no, gross.” She mimicked her brother when last year she had asked him if he liked El. What a liar he was.

Mike knocked on the cabin door, his heart racing. For some reason he found himself self consciously smoothing out his hair, adjusting his appearance. He didn't know why he was so nervous, it was only El. That was a lie, it could never be “only El”. She was so much more than that to him. 

The door opened to reveal a rather excited El, throwing her arms around him. Mike buried his head into her shoulder, it had become a habit within the short few weeks they'd been reunited for.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside, excited to show him the tree she had been decorating along with the help of Hopper. It was her first proper Christmas and Hopper was trying to make it as special as possible.

“Present?” El looked at the small wrapped gift Mike had placed in her hands. 

“Yeah, it's just something to say I...I care about you.” He blushed at his explanation of what a gift was. “You give them to friends, family...uh…” he knew what he wanted to say but knew he shouldn't. Sure they'd kissed at the Snowball and there was no denying how he felt, but he didn't know if she was really ready for that kind of label.

“Boyfriend?” She finished his sentence as if she'd read his mind. 

“Uh, yeah.” He smiled, looking down at his hands and the heat rising in his cheeks.

She looked away, shaking her head. “I didn't get you anything.”

Mike looked at her hands that were nervously playing with the corner of the wrapping. He took and breath and reached out, she looked up at his touch.

“You know you didn't have to get me anything right? Last year,” he hesitated, slightly embarrassed to be admitting this, but somehow with El he felt like he could tell her anything. “Last year all I wanted was for you to come back. To see you just one last time. But now...now you're really back. And I guess that's the best gift I've gotten.”

El leaned forward and brushed a quick kiss to his cheek. When she pulled back, she couldn't meet his eyes, blushing and looking back down at their intertwined hands.

“For crying out loud kid, open the damn present.” Hopper laughed from the kitchen, hearing their sweet conversation.

She ripped open the paper, Mike grinning at how excited she was. Inside was a small silver necklace, the pendant was a wishbone.

“It's a wishbone. It's supposed to be lucky or something.” Mike explained. “I thought it could be like, like how we're lucky to have found each other. I don't know, it's stupid.” He felt silly, but she was beaming.

“I love it. Thank you Mike.”


	3. 1985

**1985**

 

“Michael has a girlfriend? Well, it's a Christmas miracle.” Ted laughed when El arrived at the Wheeler's house for the party's annual Christmas meeting in Mike's basement. 

 

She had been allowed out into the world since September, going by the name of “Jane” to teachers and other students. She'd never really associated with the name, but knew that ‘‘Eleven” would cause too much suspicion. Mike and the rest of the party still called her El, because that's who she was. Hopper once asked her if she wanted him to call her Jane but she shook her head. “Jane” was someone else. “Jane” had lived a normal life without any powers or Demogorgons. “Jane” wasn't her, no matter who called her that.

 

“Ted.” Karen berated him and held out her hand to El to shake. Mike appeared behind his parents and froze. El hadn't met them before and he planned on being the one to introduce them, but his mother had answered the door before he got a chance. El was nervously playing with the wishbone necklace he had gotten her last year. “I'm Karen, Mike's mom.”

 

“Jane.” El shook her hand, cringing at the name. Mike caught her eye and nodded. It was best she go by “Jane” for now, maybe in the future -  _ the future, _ it made Mike's heart race just thinking about it - he could explain the nickname El, but for now they should play it safe.

 

“Michael, she's absolutely lovely.” Karen turned to her son.

 

“Yeah.” He grabbed El's hand and pulled her down to the basement to join everyone else. “Come on El- I mean, Jane.” He hated calling her that, somehow it felt like cheating on her. He knew it was silly but still...

 

He took her to the basement where everyone was waiting for her. Lucas was on the couch, Max resting her legs on his lap. Will was in the and chair which Dustin was leaning against as he sat on a cushion on the floor. They were waiting to watch a Christmas movie, moving on from their D and D campaigns.

 

“Ah, and here Juliet is now.” Dustin raised his hands above his head in mock celebration.

 

“Dustin.” Mike glared, but his hand was still tightly clasped with El's.

 

“Let's just start the movie before Dustin eats all the gingerbread.” Max had managed to steal one gingerbread man from Dustin who was hogging the plate of cookies made by Nancy earlier in the day.

 

El was the last to leave after the movie had finished; she wanted to give Mike his present without everyone else being there. Mike also wanted to give El her present.

 

“It's not much,” Mike said as he handed her the neatly wrapped gift. “But…”

 

El opened the gift and gasped. Inside was a small, silver hair pin with little diamonds.

 

“Pretty.” She smiled and held the pin in her hand, examining it. She had started to style her hair more now that it was longer. The curls bouncing around her shoulders. She reached for Mike's hand and placed the pin in it. He understood that she wanted him to put it on her.

 

He smiled and gently clipped it into her hair, letting his hand brush lightly against her cheek when he drew back.

 

“Thank you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I really love it.”

 

El pulled back and gasped as I'd suddenly remembering something. “I also got you a gift!”

 

She rummaged in her backpack and pulled out the present. She gave it to him and anxiously watched him open it. Mike's smile grew when he saw what it was.

 

A frame. El had decorated it herself with pens and stickers. Inside the frame was what he secretly liked the most. It was a photo of the two of them a few months ago in the summer. 

 

They had gone on a group outing in the forest, Jonathan forced to accompany them for Will (not that Jonathan really minded, he'd dragged Nancy with him). He had captured a moment between El and Mike, both laughing with each other, completely oblivious to the outside world, their hands tightly clasped together as they walked. 

It was one of her favourite photos of her and Mike. Mike on the other hand didn't have many photos of him and El, and decided to make it his new year's Resolution to take as many as he could with her. He wanted to remember the little things.

 

“Do you like it?” El played nervously with the hem of her skirt.

 

“Yeah,” Mike looked up from the photo. “I really, really love it. Merry Christmas El.”

 

“Merry Christmas Mike.”

 

Both leaned in, but before they could kiss, Karen's voice rang from upstairs.

 

“Michael! Jane’s father is here!”


	4. 1986

**1986**

 

El curled up on the couch, her head falling against Mike's shoulder. Mike had decided to show her _It's a wonderful life_ and she actually quite liked the movie. The character had wished he'd never been born, and El couldn't stop thinking about what if she had never been born.

The black and white movie continued to play but she couldn't get the thought out of her head.

 

“Mike?”

 

“Hm?” He lifted his head from where it was resting against the top of hers.

 

“Do you ever think about it?”

 

“About what?”

 

She forgot sometimes that she needed to specify what “it” meant, people couldn't tell what she was thinking.

 

“If you'd never been born, I mean.”

 

He sighed, “I guess, most people probably have had that thought at sometime in their life.”

 

“If I'd never been born, the gate never would have opened. Will never would have been lost.” She said so seriously.

 

“Are you kidding?” Mike sat up, anger to his voice. “You've done so much, changed so many lives. My life isn't that special.”

 

“Mike, you're kind, and good and deserve so much but I'm bad. I killed people…”

 

“So? If you didn't exist, Brenner would still be out there, the upside down would still be around.” He took one of her hands.

 

“I would've been alone, but you saved me. Without you, I would've been caught or killed or who knows what.” She squeezed his hand back. “We saved each other.”

 

Mike relaxed a little and pulled her close. “You matter. So much.” He whispered and she nodded. She knew that.

 

“Besides,” he laughed. “Who knows what kind of awful girlfriend I'd have right now if you weren't around. Maybe some awful blonde - ow!”

 

She playfully poked him in the ribs, giggling.

Mike grinned and kissed her cheek.

 

“You want the moon? Say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down.” he quoted the movie they were watching.

 

El laughed and snuggled closer to him. “I know you would.”


	5. 1987

**1987**

 

“Just one more!”

 

“Jonathan!” Mike pouted, he hated having his photo taken.

 

“But you guys are so cute. I'm just trying to make memories.”

 

Mike had his arm around El and she was leaning against him as Jonathan took another photo. He'd been doing it all night at the Byers’ Christmas party.

 

“Can you make me a copy?” El said walking away from Mike to talk to Jonathan. They had gotten closer as Joyce and Jim began to see more of each other. 

Mike watched, a huge grin on his face, how easy she could talk to other people now. It still shook him how in just a few years she was living almost a normal life. Well...normal as having telekinetic powers could be.

 

He went over to the table that Joyce had set up with little snacks and punch. Dustin, to no surprise was already stuffing his face.

 

“Nice jumper.” Dustin smirked and Mike looked down, remembering he was wearing some dorky Christmas jumper his grandma had knitted him.

 

“Can say the same to you.” Mike took a plastic cup, filling it up with whatever punch Joyce had made.

 

“This,” Dustin pointed to his jumper that had knitted millennium falcons instead of snowflakes, “is a Star Wars Christmas jumper and therefore the superior one here.”

 

Mike glanced over to where Will had now joined El and Jonathan. He loved how happy they all seemed to be, laughing and smiling together like real siblings. He wished he could be more like that with Nancy. Mike was trying, they'd been closer these past few years than ever before, but it still felt like they weren't quite open with each other yet.

 

Jonathan ruffled El's hair and she swatted his hand away, claiming she'd spent hours on her hair. She caught sight of Mike and grinned, leaving Jonathan and joining Mike and Dustin.

 

“Where's Lucas and Max?” She asked, automatically wrapping her arm around Mike's waist as he draped an arm lazily over her shoulder. It was so casual these touches that sometimes they didn't even realise they were doing it.

 

“I don't know, probably under some mistletoe or something.” Dustin grimaced at the image.

 

“Mistletoe?”  It had been awhile since El came across a word she didn't know. 

 

“Mistletoe. It's these leaves that if you're under you're supposed to kiss whoever you're under it with.” Mike wasted no time explaining to El.

 

“Like in that movie?” She had watched some cheesy Christmas movie with Mike and the characters had kissed under some leaves. She didn't realise that was mistletoe.

 

“I'd be happy to show you El.” Dustin grinned but Mike didn't find the joke funny. He glared at Dustin, causing El and Dustin to burst out laughing.

 

“Come on,” she grabbed Mike's hand and looked around for some green leaves hanging from the ceiling.

 

She rested her hands on his shoulders and Mike rested his hands on her waist. 

 

“Merry Christmas Mike.”

 

“Merry Christmas El.” 

 

They slowly leaned in, their lips meeting gently in the middle.

 

Hopper walked by and pretended he hadn't seen that, deciding to go get another glass of eggnog.


	6. 1988

**1988**

 

She'd been turning the words over and over in her mind. Knowing that's how she felt. She sort of always knew.

 

El lay awake staring at the ceiling in her room, Hopper’s snores could be heard in the next room. It was Christmas Eve, but she couldn't sleep.

 

It wasn't the excitement of Christmas, well, not entirely the excitement of Christmas. She'd seen Mike merely a few hours ago at his house, but her thoughts still lingered on everything that happened.

 

Why hadn't she said it back? The look on his face when she didn't say anything was enough to break her heart. She'd run away to Hopper’s car before Mike realised what was happening. 

 

It was just as she was leaving, Mike had been nervous all night and she suddenly knew why. El had kissed him goodnight under the mistletoe, but instead of pulling back, he grabbed her hand. She looked up into his eyes, an unsettling hint of fear behind them.

 

“El, I…” he hesitated, heat rising in his cheeks. “I…” the words he longed to say ever since he'd met her, the words he'd rehearsed so often. 

 

Mike knew he needed to tell her, but there was never a good moment. The rest of the party was always there or he would be told he's “too young” to feel this way. But he didn't care anymore, he needed to tell her. Mike didn't want to be afraid anymore. It was now or never.

 

“I love you.”

 

Her eyes grew wide. She'd heard couples on TV say those words so many times, but never imagined Mike would ever say them to her. El knew she loved him, had done for the past few years now, but to actually hear him say that…

She couldn't get her mouth to move, to repeat his words back to him because she did, she really, truly loved him. 

 

But it was too late, she'd left it too long and Mike's face fell.

 

El dropped his hand and ran to where Hopper was waiting in his car, wiping a tear from her eyes before he could see. Mike was left watching her from his doorway, hating himself.

 

She couldn't sleep that night. Her heart ached, feeling sick for not saying it back. El couldn't stand it anymore. She didn't care if it was 2 am Christmas morning, she was going to call him on the walkie talkie he'd given her a few years ago.

 

“Mike?” She called out, waiting for his reply. “Mike?” 

 

A few seconds later he picked up, panic in his voice. It only confirmed her feelings, even after she'd hurt him like that, he was still so concerned for her. “El? El are you ok?”

 

“Mike, I'm...I'm sorry.” She held back a sob. She wasn't going to cry. “I should have said it back.”

 

“Oh, no El it's my fault.” He didn't miss a beat. “You weren't ready and I pushed you. I'm the one that should apologise.”

 

“I was scared.” She admitted. “I was scared because I don't deserve this, and I'm just going to end up hurting you. You deserve better.”

 

“El, you know I was honest. You know how I honestly feel, and I'm not looking for you to return that, I'm just asking for you to stay.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “I just can't lose you.”

“But I feel the same way…” she quietly said, her voice trembling. “I've felt this way for so many years but I was scared to say it.”

 

“El…”

 

 She interrupted him. “I'm not scared anymore Mike. I'm sorry I didn't say it before, I was just...so overwhelmed. I didn't think it was real.”

 

“El, you don't have to say it if you're not ready.”

 

“I do. Because I'm truly, deeply, terrifyingly and incurably in love with you Michael Wheeler.”

 

There was silence at the other end. Her heart was beating fast, scared she'd somehow crossed a line.

 

“Mike?”

 

He had dropped his walkie talkie in shock, pinching himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

 

“You don't know how long I've wanted to hear you say that.”

 

She managed a small laugh, “You don't know how long  _ I've _ wanted to  _ say _ it. I'm sorry I didn't say it before...I've always known. I was just scared.”

 

“Me too.” He smiled, even though she couldn't see it.

 

A moment of silence passed between them before El spoke again.

 

“Mike?” 

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Merry Christmas.” she thought about it before adding a quiet, “I love you.”

 

He grinned, never being so happy in his life. “Merry Christmas, I love you too.”


	7. 1989

**1989**

 

“Are you warm enough?” Mike had asked El this question more times than she could count. He had taken her out to the movies but on the way back his car broke down. Mike wasted no time in giving El his scarf when he noticed her shivering as they walked back to Hopper’s house.

 

“Mike, I'm fine.” She smiled, her mittened hand clasping his.

 

“This wasn't how I wanted tonight to go. It's Christmas Eve and instead of being warm by a fire, we're out here in the cold. I'm sorry.” Mike looked down, he hated disappointing her.

 

“You've got nothing to be sorry for.”

 

She linked her arm with his and leant her head against his shoulder as they walked, his head automatically leaning atop hers. The streets were empty except for a few cars occasionally passing by. The wind was icy and Mike held El tight against him, scared of her catching a cold.

 

“I don't want to go home just yet anyway.” She whispered, wanting to savour one of the few quiet moments with him.

 

“But won't you get cold?”

 

She shook her head and snuggled closer to him. “No, you're warm.”

 

They took the long way through the park, past the abandoned snowmen made by kids earlier in the day.

 

Mike was suddenly hit in the face with a snowball and he stepped back in shock. He wiped the snow out his eyes to see El in fits of laughter.

 

“Was that you?” He grinned and she nodded. “No fair, you can't use your powers in a snowball fight.”

She looked at him confused. “We're not having a snowball fight?”

 

He scooped up a small ball of snow and threw it back at her. “Now we are.”

 

“You're on Wheeler!” She ducked and scooped snow with her hands this time.

 

“Try me Hopper!” 

 

They continued to throw snow at each other for a few minutes, shrieking with laughter. Mike crept up from behind El and picked her up. 

 

“Cheat!” She began laughing, trying to escape his embrace.

 

The struggle caused Mike to slip on the snow, taking El with him. They fell on their backs, looking up at the sky that was covered in a thick layer of cloud.

 

Mike began waving his arms and legs, El furrowing her brow.

 

“Snow angels.” He didn't even need to ask her if she didn't understand a word. Mike could always tell and he wouldn't hesitate to explain straight away.

 

El nodded and began to copy him. Mike stood up carefully and held out a hand to help her up. She looked at the two shapes on the ground, one much smaller than the other.

 

El was still holding his hand, looking into his eyes. 7 years ago she would've never even dreamed of moments like this. Sometimes it still doesn't feel real, Mike, Hopper, everything. It felt like some wonderful dream she'd wake up from and lose everything. 353 days she'd been apart from Mike, she couldn't lose him again.

 

“Mike?” she cupped his cheeks with both her hands, standing on her tiptoes.

 

“Yeah?” He was already leaning closer, so close she could almost count every freckle.

 

“Promise, promise me this is forever. Us.” 

 

He smiled and pressed his forehead against hers. “ I promise.’’

 

The snow very lightly began to fall, dusting them in a light powder. But they didn't care.

El leaned in kissing him softly as the snow fell.


	8. 1990

**1990**

 

El was pacing up and down the corridor, nervously tapping her hands against her leg. She kept looking in the mirror, adjusting her clothes and hair.

“You look fine.” Hopper called from the living room.

“You're not even looking at me. And besides,  _ he _ hasn't seen me in 3 months. What if I don't look like he remembers?” 

“El, that boy couldn't care less what you're wearing. You could be in a potato sack and he would still say you looked pretty.”

 

El smiled. She knew in her heart it was true, but she was nervous. Everytime Mike returned from college she was scared he took one look at her and be disappointed. That she wasn't like he remembered.

 

They'd lasted 353 without seeing each other, but since then they had practically been inseparable. But she couldn't keep Mike from his future and she wanted him to go to college. She managed by seeing him in the void, he called her on the walkie talkie, even though he wouldn't hear her back. He would call her on the actual telephone, more than once accidentally getting Hopper and engaging in awkward small talk until El reached the phone. Mike always came back at Christmas and for the holidays, but the months in-between were hard. The waiting for him to knock on that door was killing her.

 

She felt like she was going to throw up, but a gentle tap came at the door. El opened the door desperately, her eyes locking on Mike. It had been too long. All fear was instantly shoved to the back of her mind when he launched himself at her, pulling her tighter than he'd ever done before. He picked her up and spun her around, all the while whispering “I love you.”

 

Hopper awkwardly stood in the hall, watching the two clinging to each other.

 

“Mike.” Hopper finally said, the two pulling apart slightly but maintaining contact.

“Hopper, sir.” Mike smiled and went to shake Hopper’s hand.

 

They sat around the small table with a small turkey, Mike telling stories about college while El looked on in awe. Hopper smiled, watching them together warmed his heart. He was glad they were finally together again, El was back to her usual self, happier and brighter than before. He'd never really noticed a difference until Mike returned. She was happy most days, always finding something to smile about, but with Mike...it was a happiness Hopper didn't know existed.

 

Hopper only hoped that there would be more Christmases like this in El's life. Christmas surrounded by the people she loves.


	9. 1991

**1991**

 

Mike stared up at the ceiling of El's room, his mind keeping him awake. He'd come back from college for the holidays but was spending Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at the Hoppers’ before he and El went to the Wheeler's in the evening.

El's arm was lightly resting on his chest. Whenever she had nightmares her hand would tighten, clutching on to his t-shirt, but tonight she was peaceful. Mike wished he could say the same. His heart was beating fast thinking about the conversation he'd had with Hopper earlier while El was out of the room...

 

_ “You're serious about this?” _

 

_ “I can't keep leaving.” Mike looked down, his mouth feeling dry. “My apartment is small, but I can make room. You know, if she wants to of course.” _

 

_ Hopper smiled. “You're a good man Wheeler.” He patted Mike on the shoulder. “I appreciate you asking permission. But like you said, it's her decision.” _

 

It was her decision. Mike knew he wouldn't be able to leave El after Christmas. He still had another two years of college but that meant another two years being apart from her. 

 

“El?” Mike spoke into the darkness, but she simply curled up closer to him.

“El?” He lightly shook her, feeling guilty for robbing her of sleep.

 

“Mike?” She sat up slowly rubbing her eyes. “What's wrong?”

 

Mike shuffled and sat up, reaching over to turn the small lamp on her bedside table on.

He'd thought about this a lot, and he knew he had to ask her.

 

“I uh...wanted to give you your present.”

 

“Can't it wait until morning?” She yawned and her head drooped, falling on to his shoulder.

 

“No, I uh….I want to give it to you now.” He got out of bed and walked over to his rucksack hed dumped on the small chair by her desk.

El watched through heavy eyes as he rummaged in his bag until he pulled out a small wrapped box.

He climbed back under the covers and handed it to her.

 

Mike awkwardly played with the hem of his t-shirt while he watched her open the box. 

 

“A...key?” She held it up, confusion furrowing her brow.

 

“It's uh...it's a key to my apartment.” He explained. “Back at college I mean.”

 

“Oh.” She held it in her hand, still unsure of what it meant.

 

“It's just... it gets harder every time I have to leave you to go back and...and I thought maybe...if you'd like to that is…”

 

“Mike?”

 

He took a deep breath and reached for her hand. “I was wondering if you'd like to move in with me? It would be our own place, just you and me. And we wouldn't have to be apart anymore.”

 

He nervously awaited her answer, scared maybe he'd moved too fast and freaked her out.

 

She turned the key over in her hands but finally met Mike's eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him quickly before he could say anything. When elnoull back, she had a huge grin on her face.

 

“I love you, Mike. And I'd love to move in with you.”


	10. 1992

**1992**

 

“I don't want to go.” Hopper grumbled.

El glared at him from the backseat of the car. 

“You have to go.”

 

Mike and El returned from their apartment near his college for Christmas. Normally they spend Christmas Eve at Hopper’s house but this year they were going to the Wheelers’. Including a disgruntled Hopper.

He never was too thrilled about the Wheelers. They were alright, he was civil with them, but Ted was hard to make conversation with.

 

“I know my parents aren't exactly...fun.” Mike glanced at Hopper and then returned his gaze to the road ahead. “But it means a lot that you all get along.”

 

Hopper knew that. He wasn't excited to see Ted and Karen, but he knew it meant a lot to Mike, and if it meant a lot to Mike it would mean the world to El. 

 

Hopper got out the car, wishing he hadn't given up smoking for El. He could really do with a cigarette right about now.

 

Mike opened the door for El and they walked hand in hand up to the Wheelers’ front door, Hopper trailing behind them.

 

12 year old Holly Wheeler answered the door, her face lighting up at seeing El. She simply adored the girl.

“Jane!” She hugged El tightly and Mike awkwardly coughed.

 

“Uh, what about your actual brother?”

 

“Oh, hey Mike.” she laughed as he ruffled her hair.

 

Dinner was awkward to say the least. Mike tried to make small talk but Ted was set on talking about politics with Hopper, as if being police meant he knew every tiny detail of the government. Afterwards, El offered to help Karen wash the dishes. She still felt a strange need to impress Mrs Wheeler. 

 

“So Jane,” Karen handed El a plate to dry. “I notice there's still no ring on that finger.”

 

El blushed and self consciously looked at her hand. “Oh, I uh...I suppose not.”

She'd not really thought about marriage, but now she couldn't help thinking why Mike hasn't proposed. They loved each other didn't they?

 

“Call me old fashioned but you're living together aren't you?”

 

“Yes but...is that wrong?” She didn't quite understand what was wrong with her living with Mike.

 

“No, but people tend to get married before moving in together.” Karen explained. “At least in my say they did.”

 

“Mom?” Mike appeared in the kitchen, looking suspiciously between his mother and El. “Is everything ok?”

 

El shook her head clear and smiled. “Yeah, everything's, everything's ok.”

 

The evening had been interesting, Hopper was glad to get home. He instantly made himself a coffee - despite it being 10 o’clock at night - and glued himself on his chair in from of the TV.

 

Mike offered to make El a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and marshmallows because it was Christmas. She followed him into the small kitchen, propping herself up on the counter and watching him.

 

“Mike, can I ask you something?”

 

“Yeah?” his hand froze on the packet of marshmallows.

 

“Why haven't you proposed to me?”

 

His grip tightened on the marshmallows and they flew out the packet.

 

“Oh, uh…” he blushed, picking up the marshmallows that had fallen out. It was one of the things he loved about her. That she wasn't scared to hold back about what she was thinking. Some people found it intimidating, how she would just say whatever came to mind sometimes, but he kind of envied her. How she wasn't restrained like everyone else.

 

“What, what made you think about it?” He asked her.

 

She shrugged. “I don't know. Your mom said something about how we weren't married and it got me thinking. Why we weren't. We love each other don't we? And that's what marriage is?”

 

He gulped. Mike would be lying if he said he hadn't thought about it. For a long time now he'd known that El was who he was going to marry. But he never thought she would even want to get married. 

 

He dropped the marshmallows and walked over to her. Even sat on the counter, she was still shorter than him. Her hands wrapped around his neck and he rested his hands on her hips.

 

“You...you want to marry me?” Mike grinned, resting his forehead against hers.

 

She nodded. “I thought you knew that.”

 

“I've wanted to ask you for a long time but...but I didn't know if you'd even want to get married.” Mike was blinking back tears. He'd practiced and imagined this moment so many times, but it'd never been like this.

 

“I don't have a ring or anything,” he laughed but pulled her off the counter, kneeling down on one knee. “I haven't even asked for permission but...but I love you.”

 

“I love you too.” El wiped his cheek.

 

“We've been through so, so much together. But we've stuck through it, nothing has come between us. I'd never pictured I'd ever be so lucky to meet someone like you. I'm just...some nerd I don't deserve this. But I know, I'm going to protect you - even though it's usually you protecting me. You make me happy and I can't imagine being apart from you. So I promise to love you forever. Will...will you marry me?”

 

She let the words of his speech sink in. El collapsed on to her knees as well, clutching Mike tightly to her. She buried her head against his shoulder then pulled back. “Yes.” She whispered.

 

They softly laughed to each other, crying and hugging in the kitchen.

 

“Hopper.” Mike suddenly said. “I was supposed to ask him first.”

 

“No need.” Hopper was smiling at them from the doorway to the kitchen. He joined them on the floor, wrapping both Mike and El in a hug. The hot chocolates were forgotten about.


	11. 1993

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Christmas Eve

**1993**

 

It had been a few months since Mike graduated from college, but with El's small job in the local library and his IT job, they were able to upgrade their small apartment to a slightly larger one. 

 

The wedding was small but cosy, only a few close friends and family. El decided she wanted it on the 7th November, the 10th anniversary of when she'd met Mike. 

Dustin was the first to tear up, but he'd never admit that.

 

For the first time, Mike and El had enough money to buy actual christmas decorations and not just decorating their feeble excuse for a house plant as a christmas tree.

 

Mike wanted to surprise El with a real tree, leading her blindfolded into their small living room.

 

“Mike? What are you doing?” She laughed, but stopped short when he removed his hands from her eyes. 

“It's a real tree? Just like dad used to cut down.” She gently touched the branches, turning around to wrap her arms around her new husband's neck.

“You did all this for me?”

 

“Of course I did. I love you.” He leaned in to kiss her but she pulled away, distracted by the small box on the table behind him.

 

“What's this?”

 

“Oh uh, it's kind of a belated wedding gift. From me to you.” He shuffled awkwardly on the spot. It was stupid, they weren't supposed to buy each other wedding gifts. “But also I guess it could be a Christmas gift?”

 

“Can I open it?” She looked up at him hopefully and Mike nodded.

 

Inside the box was a delicate Christmas bauble. It had two photos. On one side, the date _15th Dec, ‘84_ was engraved underneath the photo (the first ever photo of them together) of Mike with his arm awkwardly around El at the Snowball when they were 13. On the other side was the date _7th Nov, 1993_ with a photo of them on their wedding day, completely oblivious to everything else in the room but each other.

 

“I thought it'd be nice to have an ornament that means something. It has a story behind it.” 

 

El held it delicately in her hands and placed it at the front of the tree. The first decoration on their first, proper christmas tree. She wrapped her arms around Mike's neck and kissed him gently.

 

“Merry Christmas,  _ Mrs _ Wheeler.” Mike smirked, pressing his forehead against hers.

  
“Merry Christmas,  _ Mr _ Wheeler.”


	12. 1994

**1994**

 

“Mike?” El called for her husband in their small apartment. They were going to be late for Christmas lunch with Hopper.

 

Mike was passed out on the couch, not getting much sleep the past few months. El froze when she saw him, her heart melting. Mike was lying on his back, one arm slung over the back of the couch but curled up on his chest was their two month old daughter. Her dark hair was starting to grow curly, matching almost identically to Mike's.

They looked so similar when they were asleep.

 

Mike had his ugliest christmas jumper on and his his other hand dangled a tiny christmas jumper. He'd obviously fallen asleep in the process of getting the baby ready.

 

El smiled and searched for her camera, wanting to capture one of the very rare moments of peace.

She held the photo in her hand and grinned, reminding herself to add it to the baby album later.

 

As much as she hated to interrupt this moment, she knew Hopper would be waiting for them.

 

“Mike.” She raised her voice a little but he was a heavy sleeper and completely out cold.

 

El brushed his hair from his forehead and placed a gentle kiss, he began to stir a little.

 

Yawning, Mike stretched his arms out and looked around, feeling disoriented until his eyes landed on El. He smiled and realised he was still holding the baby's Christmas jumper.

 

“Ah, I was just...just closing my eyes.” He looked guilty and El just shook her head, picking up the baby.

 

He helped her get the baby ready and they headed out to Hopper’s house.

 

“Here.” El gave Hopper a small gift.

 

He opened it and smiled brightly. “A 'world’s greatest grandpa’ mug?”

 

“It was Mike's idea.’’

 

Hopper clapped Mike on the back. “Thanks kid.”

 

“So you've forgiven me?” Mike raised an eyebrow with a cheeky grin.

 

“Almost.” Hopper smiled and they both laughed.

 

“Merry Christmas.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't so sure how to end this.
> 
> Merry Christmas everyone xx


End file.
